Alvaro Morata and Noah Okafor scored in the dying stages for Milan as they salvaged a 2-2 draw in their Serie A opener against Torino on Saturday.

The visitors were moments away from a memorable victory at San Siro thanks to a Malick Thiaw own goal and a header from Duvan Zapata, only for Milan to fight back with goals in the 89th and 95th minutes. 

The visitors took the lead on the half-hour mark when Raoul Bellanova's header hit the post and Thiaw’s attempted clearance ended in an own goal.

Torino then doubled their advantage in the 68th minute with Zapata heading in Valentino Lazaro's cross from close range.

With the clock about to tick into stoppage time, Morata gave Paulo Fonseca's side hope by deflecting Tijjani Reijnders' long-range shot into the net.

Milan then launched a frantic final push for a leveller and Okafor smashed in a volley deep into stoppage time to spare their blushes.

Data Debrief: Stuttering start for Rossoneri

While Fonseca avoided a humiliating defeat in his first competitive game in charge of Milan, some lax defending ensured his reign would not start with a victory.

This is the first time Milan have started a Serie A campaign with a draw since 2011-12, when they drew 2-2 with Lazio under Massimiliano Allegri. 

They went on to finish second to Juventus that season, but improvements will be required if they are to push for a 20th Scudetto in 2024-25.

Milan suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat at mid-table Torino in Serie A on Saturday after being punished for a slow first-half performance.

Torino dominated the first 45 minutes, scoring with two headers; Duvan Zapata picked out the bottom corner after 26 minutes before Ivan Ilic doubled their advantage by throwing himself onto Raoul Bellanova's cross before the break.

Former Milan player Ricardo Rodriguez needed only 18 seconds in the second half to unleash a fierce left-foot shot from distance into the top corner of the net for Torino's third.

Ismael Bennacer converted a penalty for Milan in the 55th minute after a foul on Christian Pulisic, but the visitors, seemingly focused on their final match against relegated Salernitana, never threatened to get back into the game.

Torino are ninth in the standings on 53 points, while Milan will finish second in the standings behind local rivals Inter.

Data Debrief: Home comforts

Torino have lost just two of their home games in Serie A this season, finishing on a high against second-place Milan in what is possibly Ivan Juric's final game in charge. 

Zapata proved an influential figure for Torino once more, and has scored the joint-most headed goals in the top five European league this season: eight (level with Harry Kane).

Juventus’ poor run in Serie A extended to just two wins in 11 games as they were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw away at city rivals Torino.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side, who were top of the league when they beat Lecce on January 21 but who now trail leaders Inter Milan by 19 points having played a game more, failed to break down their mid-table opponents as their astonishing collapse in form dragged on into another week.

It was the third game in four in the league in which they have failed to score and leaves them vulnerable to being caught in the race to qualify for the Champions League, with fifth-place Roma able to cut the gap on them to five points should they win their game in hand.

Dusan Vlahovic had Juve’s clearest chances of the first half, first when he knocked Federico Chiesa’s cross against a post, then again when he was foiled by Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in the Torino goal.

The goalkeeper was called on again to deny the visitors, diving at full stretch to keep out a firm low effort from Kenan Yildiz.

Duvan Zapata thought he had given Torino the lead when he crashed the ball home shortly after half-time, only for his effort to be ruled out for a foul committed by Raoul Bellanova against Juve’s Filip Kostic.

Antonio Sanabria rose highest to meet Bellanova’s cross midway through the second half, drawing a good save from Wojciech Szczesny as Torino threatened.

The hosts might have made it a truly disastrous night for Allegri when Karol Linetty’s ball in was turned over the crossbar by Valentino Lazaro, who seemed to make contact with the ball with his neck with the goal gaping.

It concluded a frustrating encounter for Juve, and came in stark contrast to the comfortable 2-0 win they enjoyed in the derby back in October, when the team were in the early stages of what looked a credible title challenge.

It leaves Allegri’s side in a fight to ensure they do not miss out on the Champions League for a second consecutive season.

They still have the possible consolation of the Coppa Italia to aim for, and play the second leg of their semi-final away to Lazio on April 23 looking to defend a 2-0 aggregate lead.

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